The Top 10 Things To Do And See In Budapest's Buda

Fisherman’s Bastion, or Halászbástya in Hungarian, is a neo-gothic and neo-romantic terrace that takes its name from the fishermen who defended this part of the city in the Middle Age. More interestingly for visitors, both the terrace itself and its seven towers offer an incredible panorama of the Danube, Margaret Island, and Pest. There is a fee to access the upper levels, but since it’s quite a small area and the views from the rest are just as beautiful, it’s not really worth paying it.

Buda Castle, the palace where Hungarian kings lived, overlooks the city from the fittingly named Castle Hill. It was first completed in 1265, but today, the oldest part still standing is from the 14th century; because of the castle’s tumultuous history, it has undergone many changes that are barely noticeable now. Today, the castle is home to two museums, the National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum, and various other cultural institutions. The National Gallery focuses on Hungarian art from all periods, while the History Museum retraces the city’s history from Roman times to the present day.

The caves underneath Buda provide an insight into Budapest’s history, as well as a way to keep cool on a hot summer day! In addition to the so-called ‘Castle Labyrinth’ underneath Buda Castle, two natural caves can easily be visited: Szemlgőhegyi and Pálvölgyi. The latter’s stunning stalactite and stalagmite formations are very rewarding. and looking around the relatively small area accessible to the public is exerting enough to feel like an adventure. Szemlgőhegyi, on the other hand, is easier to explore and features some lovely walls lined with crystals and minerals.

Szemlőhegyi Caves: Pusztaszeri út 35, Budapest, Hungary, +36 1 325 6001. Monday, Wednesday-Sunday: 10am-4pm

Pálvölgyi Caves: Szépvölgyi út 162, Budapest, Hungary, +36 1 325 9505. Tuesday–Sunday 10.15am- 4.15pm

Tucked between Gellert Hill and Castle Hill lies the residential streets and beautiful parks of the Taban, a formerly bohemian district unfortunately demolished in the 1930s. Today, it is far less vibrant and exciting, but the busy streets have given way to delightful large parks where visitors and locals can stroll or relax. It is still filled with bars and restaurants, so there’s a little bit of everything in the Taban, even though it’s not as trendy as Pest’s seventh district.

Budapest is famously a city of many thermal baths, and naturally, some of them lie on the Buda side of the city. Generally, because of the two banks’ different atmosphere, the baths in Buda tend to be more upscale and luxurious, while those in Pest are more popular. In Buda, then, visitors will find the beautiful Gellért Spa, famous for its Art Nouveau entrance hall, the Ottoman-built Rudas Baths and Budapest’s oldest thermals baths, and the expensive but historical Kiraly Bath.

Gellért Spa, Kelenhegyi út 4, Budapest, Hungary, +36 1 466 6166

Rudas Baths, Döbrentei tér 9, Budapest, Hungary, +36 1 356 1010

Kiraly Medicinal Bath, Fő u. 84, Budapest, Hungary, +36 1 202 3688

Gellért Hill, towering over the Danube at 235 meters, is one of two famous hills in Buda. As a strategic defensive position, it played an important role in Budapest’s history, but is now a quiet, wealthy residential area and a part of the the ‘Banks of the Danube’ World Heritage Site since 1997. The main draw for visitors is the panoramic view of the Danube and the entire city. There are two paths: take the stairs by the Elizabeth Bridge, or take the longer but easier pathway near the Gellért Baths.